Christian Thomas Finding HIs Scoring Touch

Connecticut Whale

Christian Thomas

Christian Thomas (Connecticut Whale)

PAUL DOYLEpdoyle@courant.com

HARTFORD -- After scoring 129 goals in three season in junior hockey, Christian Thomas came to the AHL with a reputation.Thomas, a 2010 second-round draft pick, was considered a top prospect by the Rangers. With speed, skill and an NHL bloodline -- his father Steve spent 20 seasons in the league -- Thomas was seemingly on the fast track to Madison Square Garden.But his road to New York began in Hartford and it took some time for Thomas to find his footing. He had eight goals and 14 points in his first 40 games and was scratched January 20. But over the past month, Thomas has flourished. He notched 10 points in the past 12 games and seven in six games, displaying the offensive skill that earned him attention in the Ontario Hockey League.“I think I’m just moving my feet out there, forechecking and working hard,” Thomas said. “Starting off this year, it was a lot different than juniors. Guys are bigger, stronger, faster. You have to make plays quicker. So I think having played [52] games here, I’ve adjusted for the most part. Starting to feel out there.”His transformation has coincided with being placed on a line with veterans Micheal Haley and Kelsey Tessier. Like Thomas (5-feet-9), Haley (5-11) and Tessier (5-9) are smaller in stature but are high-energy players.“Smaller guys, we work hard and create chances out there,” Thomas said.Thomas joined the Whale at the end of last season and played in the AHL playoffs, but he faced a different league at the start of this season. The NHL lockout enabled team to stock their AHL affiliates with better, more experienced players.For rookies such as Thomas, the jump from junior hockey was immense.“It’s all the best guys from your junior league,” Thomas said. “Every defenseman is good, every forward you have to watch out for. When you’re out there, you can’t take a shift off. You have to work hard out there or stuff is not going to happen.”Thomas also saw less ice time in the AHL than in juniors, so there was plenty of time to watch from the bench and learn. For a guy who scored 54 goals in one season for the Oshawa Generals, the perspective was different.“As a rookie, you can’t expect to play the same minutes you did in juniors, so it’s tough to get going and tough to get points,” Thomas said. “Now I’m getting more of an opportunity. Pucks are starting to go in the net and I’m starting to get chances out there.”Having a resource like his father helped Thomas navigate his slow start. Steve Thomas played for six teams from 1984 to 2004, including the Islanders and Devils. He scored 421 goals in 1,235 games.These days, Steve Thomas works in the Tampa Bay Lightning front office. He watches Whale games on the Internet and is in constant contact with his son.“I would say it’s a big advantage for me,” Christian said. “He played 20 years in the league, he was undrafted, he played in the NHL as a 21, 22 year old. Through all his experiences, he helps me so much, on and off the ice. If I have any problem, if I’m feeling down, he helps me out.”